Indicator for cooling systems of automobiles



H. E. CHRISTIE ET AL 1,890,900

INDICATOR FOR COOLING SYSTEMS 0F AUTOMOBILES Dec; 13, 1932.

Filed July 16, 1926 a" MIN Patented Dec. 13, 1932. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD E. CHRISTIE AND KIBBEY W. GOUSE, OF BRONX, NEW. YORK INDICATOR FOR. COOLING SYSTEMS AUTOMOBILES Application filed July 16, 1926. Serial No. 122,783.

This invention relates to an indicator deradiator andthe engine proper, not illusvice for the cooling systems of automobiles trated, extends the usual flexible connecting or otherwise where water cooled motors are pipe consisting in-this instance of two spaced employed. I pieces of flexible tubingas 17 and 18, and a 5 An object of the invention is to provide a short metallic tube 16 interposed between the device for indicating the extent to which said pieces 17 and 18. Water or other cooling fluid is immune from The tube 16 is shaped to constitute a base freezing, member of the present indicator device. A more specific object is to provide an in- The section 17 of flexible tubing is shown dicator device which may be incorporated as as being connected to the inlet'S of the radiaa part of the cooling system and which will tor G. visually indicate the specific gravity of said A transparent, preferably, glass, tube fluid. r rests in seat 4t provided in the pipe 16/ The 1 A further detailed object is to provide an upper end of said tube being closed as at 19 15 indicator arranged permanently in the cool and the lower end being open and in com- 65 ing system and containing a hydrometer visimunication with the interior of the pipe 16 ble at all times. through a passageway 7 provided through A further specific object is to provide the wall of the pipe within the seat 4 so that means whereby if desired an artificial water the water Or other cooling fluid in the system level may be provided and maintained at a is free to move into the transparent tube. 70

convenient point for the proper functioning The tube 15 may be sealed into the seat,4.- in of the hydrometer. any suitable manner'but for convenience 1s Other objects and aims of the inventi n, here shown as being held by cement or other more or less specific than those referred to appr priate material as 8. above, will be in part obvious and in part A smallpassage-way 28' is formed through pointed out in the course of the. following the side wall of the tube 15 at a point spaced description of theelements, combinations,ardownwardly from thetop closure 19 being arrangements of parts and applications of ranged at a level approximately that. desired principles constituting the invention and the foran artificial level as of fluid withln the scope of protection contemplated will be inu e. g V 3Q dicated in the appended claims. A suitable valve 18 provided in the passage- In the accompanying drawing which is to way 28. This Valve may take any desired be taken as a part of this specificat on, and form suitable to permit, egress of a r and to in which we have shown merely a preferred shut off egress of bound when the liquid has form of embodiment of the invention raised to the desired level. It may be either 89 Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in manually operable or automatically operable. vertical section, of an indicator device con- In the present instance it is shown as being structed in accordance with this invention, automatically operable. It consists of a holand low extension 26 contained in a float ball 27, Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a modithe extension 26 being in communication with fication in which the exterior vent tube is the interior of the indicator tube through the employed instead of the valve device shown passage-way 28 and having an upwardly in Fig. 1', and the device being illustrated in opening vent aperture 29 controlled by the association with the cooling system of an ball 27. o automobile engine. 7 During the time while the fluid is rising n Referring to the drawing for describing in the indicator tube the air'from within said detail the'structures thereinshown. the refertube will exhaust freely through the open ngs ence character G indicates the upper portion '28 and 29. hen the fluid reaches the des red of the radiator of the cooling system ofv an level it will close the opening 29 and a slight ordinary automobile engine. Between the additionalrise within the extension 26 will float the ball 27 and thereby close the opening 29 so as to prevent overflow of the fluid while the main level in the cooling system is further raised,

The shutting off of the passageway 28 by the fluid will stop the egress of air from within the tube 15. This will prevent the continued rising of the fluid within the tube 15 and thus establish an artificial fluid level as 25 within the tube.

A hydrometer H is freely movable within the tube 15, said hydrometer being preferably, though not necessarily, provided with graduations as 14, readable at the artificial level 25.

The hydrometer H may indicate the relative proportions of the non-freezing ingredient to the whole quantity of cooling fluid. In replenishing the supply of non-freezing ingredient it has been heretofore difiicult, if not impossible, to maintain a uniform quality of mixture. Due to evaporation, etc., the proportion of the non-freezing ingredient to the whole quantity of cooling fluid may be ma terially changed in the system and the addition of a new supply may contain a wholly inadequate proportion of the non-freezing ingredient, or a wholly too strong proportion, according to how good a guesser the operator may be.

By the present invention however the strength of the cooling fluid in the system will be always readable at a glance and the strength of the replenishing supply may be regulated accordingly. In fact the graduations upon the hydrometer may readily be marked to indicate by figures or otherwise the exact strength required for the replenishing supply, for instance at a given height the hydrometer may call for one ounce of non-freezing ingredient to each quart of water added, at another height it may call for two ounces of the non-freezing ingredient, and so on.

The closure 19 for the upper end of the tube may consist of a removable screw plug or cap, whereby the hydrometer may be removed or inserted upon occasion.

The structure illustrated in Fig. 2 is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, except that it suggests that instead of the valve 27 an exterior vent tube 20 may be employed through which air may exhaust to permitthe fluid in the transparent tube 15 to rise to a desired level. This vent tube may be connected with a small nozzle-like protuberance 21 provided upon the side of the tube 15, said extension being hollow and in communication with the interior of the tube 15 at a desired point spaced downwardly from the upper end of the tube 15. The vent tube 20 may conveniently consists of a short piece of rubber tubing and it may be extended upwardly above the indicator-device and have its upper end as 22 conveniently attached to the tie rod 23 or other part otthe automobile structure as by means of a bond or clamp device as 24, the simple requirement involved being that the end 22 should be sufliciently elevated to stand above the level as 25 of fluid in the system, thus to prevent over-flow of fluid through the vent tube.

In operation, when fluid is initially introduced into the system, the fluid will rise, through the opening 7 of the base tube, and move upwardly toward the top of the indicator tube 15 meanwhile driving air outward- 1y from said tube through the passa e-way 28. The rise of the fluid in the tube 10 will continue until it shuts off access of air to the passage-way 28. An artificial level 25 will thus be established for the reading of the hydrometer.

In the structure Fig. 1 the fluid will continue to flow through the passage-way 28 until the ball :27 is floated to close the vent 29.

In the structure Fig. 2 the fluid will continue to rise in the vent tube 20, the level of the fluid in this tube being thereafter at all times the same as the level 25 of fluid in the system.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, what we claimas new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is 1. The combination with the water cooling system of an engine, of a transparent indicator tube comprised in said system at least partly below the water level in the system and arranged to receive water from the system thereinto, the tube having an air vent opening therefrom, a device arranged to be moved by the water for controlling said vent opening to thereby automatically establish an artificial water level in said tube below the level in the system, and a hydrometer device readable at said artificial level.

2. The combination with the water cooling system of an engine, of a transparent in the tube and to thereby provide an artificial water level in the tube. a hydrometer device readable at said artificial level, and a valve operable by the water to close the air vent.

3. The combination with the water cooling system of an engine. of a transparent indicator tube arranged in said system, said transparent tube being closed at its upper end and having its lower end open and arranged to permit water of the system to rise in the tube, said transparent tube having a vent opening formed through the side wall thereof spaced downwardly from its upper end, and a float valve arranged in said opening constructed to permit egress of air and prevent egress of water.

4. The combination with the water cooling system of an engine, of a transparent indicator tube closed at its upper end and having its lower end open and arranged to permit water of the system to rise in the tube, said transparent tube having a vent opening therefrom spaced downwardly from its upper end, and a float valve to control said opening constructed to permit egress of air and to prevent egress of water.

5. The combination with a liquid container, of means automatically operable to establish an artificial liquid level below the level of the liquid within the container said means including a valve member arranged to be floated by the liquid, and a hydrometer device readable at said artificial level.

6. The combination with a liquid container, of means to establish an artificial liquid level below the level of the liquid within the container, said means comprising a hollow tubular member closed at its upper end and having means at its lower end communicating with the container and adapted to permit liquid from the container to flow into the tubular member, the tubular member having an air vent opening communicating with its interior at a point spaced downwardly from the upper closed end of the tubular member and having its outer end open to the atmosphere so that rise of the level of the liquid within the tubular member will prevent the displacing of air outwardly through said vent opening when the liquid rises above the vent opening, a hydrometer device within the tubular member, and the tubular member being constructed to provide vision of the hydrometer device for reading at the liquid level.

7. The combination with a liquid container, of means to establish an artificial liquid level below the level of the liquid within the container, said means comprising a. hollow tubular member closed at its upper end and having means at its lower end communicat ing with the container and adapted to permit liquid from the container to flow into the tubular member, the tubular member having a vent opening spaced downwardly from the upper closed end of the tubular member for the purpose of allowing air to escape and means connected with said tubular member and co-operating therewith to cause the liquid within said tubular member to seal said vent opening when the level of the liquid within the tubular member rises above said vent opening, a hydrometer device within the tubular member, and the tubular member being constructed to provide vision of the hydrometer device.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

HOWARD E. CHRISTIE. KIBBEY W. GOUSE.

Cir 

